Many small electrical apparatus such as answering machines, calculators and the like operate on direct current. Typically, such apparatus will use batteries for this purpose. In addition, such apparatus can use a known device identified as an AC-DC adaptor in place of batteries. This device utilizes a small hollow enclosed electrically insulated housing. A male connector extends outward from the housing and is adapted to be detachably connected to a female connector which supplies alternating current power, such as 120 volts, 60 hertz. Inside the housing, the male connector is connected to a step down transformer which in turn is connected to a rectifier circuit. A length of coaxial cable has one end disposed inside the casing and coupled to the output of the rectifier circuit. The cable extends through the casing with the other end disposed outside of the casing. The outside end of the cable is connected to another type of connector which is adapted to be detachably connected to a small electrical apparatus, thus supplying suitable direct current to the apparatus and eliminating the need for batteries.
The adaptor housing is relatively large as compared to the female connector which provides the alternating current power. Hence when there are two or more female connectors disposed adjacent each other and closely spaced, the housing blocks access to adjacent connectors. It is often desirable to connect computers and other electrical apparatus which operate on alternating current to such adjacent connectors and the blockage of such connections must be awkwardly overcome by providing access to additional remotely disposed connectors supplying the desired alternating current.
The present invention eliminates the blockage problem by enabling the adaptor itself to provide an additional female connector for supplying alternating current to apparatus operating on alternating current.